Thank you for your continued kind support...reviewing, following, making this and my other stories a favorite and for generally taking a chance on these little journeys with me.

There wasn't that much interaction between Sam and Mercedes in the last chapter, so I decided to post this, to make up for it.

Standard disclaimer.

I knew I'd be decent at nursing, because, I could keep my emotions at bay, while helping people who were too vulnerable, to care for themselves.

It was important to me, plus the pay was good, because, nurses were in very short demand.

Deep down, I'd wanted to make my grandma proud.

She'd been a nurse's aide...and had never taken the steps to get her degree.

She'd encouraged me to go to college, even at an early age.

Said I'd be the first in our family to graduate, since Mom had never finished high school.

Mom and Grandma were always bickering.

"Your daddy would roll over in his grave, if he saw you traipsing around town, with all those men," Grandma had said, on more than one occasion.

She'd begged my mom, to set an example for Adrian and me, of a strong and proud single mother.

"Only then, will a man respect you."

Guess I'd internalized that lesson more, than my mom had.

Despite Grandma and my mom, being as different, as night and day, when Grandma got sick with cancer, my mom was as wrecked, as I'd ever seen her.

She had planned on moving Grandma into our home, while she went through chemo, but the cancer took her pretty quickly.

Now, as I flip through a gossip magazine, I'm considering whether or not, I could sleep in my own bed again.

I had brought my pillow and blanket out to the couch and made sure, I had the sharpest knife from the kitchen, in view on my counter.

Despite the landlord placing motion sensor lighting, near the main door and a locksmith putting more secure clasps, onto my windows, the shadows moving across those blinds in my bedroom, made my stomach lurch.

Last night, a man with the intent of robbing...or raping, chose my window to climb through.

And if Sam hadn't shown up, my day would have looked starkly different.

I'd probably be a robbed, or raped, or dead woman, because, I was frozen on my bed, unable to move.

I pulled out my phone and considered texting Brody, to ask him to sleep over.

He had never slept all the way through, the night in my bed, because, I never allowed him to, but maybe, after sex, he'd agree to stay on the couch.

I'd tell him I was a little spooked, and he'd understand, because, he was a guy and probably liked having a female depend on him.

He'd be shocked, because, never once had I relied on him for anything, except for an orgasm.

But it might turn him on a little...or send him packing.

It was not part of our arrangement, for him to be my hero, that was for sure.

My fingers hovered over the keys and finally I gave in.

Me: Hey, have anything going on tonight?

Brody: Nothing. Want to hook up? I can be over in thirty.

My fingers froze, considering, whether I truly wanted to cross over, into that realm with him, or not.

He wasn't my protector or even my friend. Just my fuck buddy.

A knock on my door startled me, and my phone slipped from my fingers, dropping to the couch.

I stood and went to the door.

When I looked through the peephole and saw it was Sam, my heart strained against my rib cage.

He was wearing the same clothes I had seen him in, that morning, but his shirt was more wrinkled and his hair more messy.

I opened the door before realizing how I was dressed again. A nippy sleep shorts, but a pink tank top this time. And still no bra.

Sam's eyes gave me a once-over, before landing squarely on my breasts, and I swear my nipples rose to greet him.

He swallowed roughly before saying,

"Um...hi. I just got home and I thought..." He just stood there staring at me, like he was debating with himself.

"What?" I found I was panting at the sight of him. Hoping, praying the words I wanted to hear, would come out of his mouth.

"Um...want some company again tonight?" he asked. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at his feet. And it was so damn sexy.

"I just figured...if it were my mom...she'd want me to check on her ,for a couple more days."

My eyes closed in relief, as I released the breath I was holding.

I could even overlook the fact, that he'd just compared me to his mom.

Talk about mixed signals.

But I wasn't faring much better in that department.

"Are you still nervous about sleeping here?" His voice was earnest, like he hoped I'd say yes.

I could tell him no, to prove how strong I was, but my resolve was crumbling fast.

My fingers were trembling on the doorknob, because, I wanted his company so damn bad.

"N-not sure."

"Want to watch a movie upstairs and sleep over again?"

My heart flapped and wavered.

This boy was going to be the death of me.

He reached out his hand for me.

"No questions asked?" I nodded.

"Just let me put some clothes on and I'll be right up." He looked down at my bare legs and swallowed.

"Good idea."

I closed the door and gulped down my hesitation.

No questions asked, he'd said.

I threw on sweat shorts and a t-shirt over my tank and looked into the mirror to fix my weary eyes a bit. Then, I threw on some lip gloss for good measure.

When Sam pulled open his door, I noticed he'd cleared off his couch and had taken some things out of boxes.

His flat-screen TV and Xbox were on a walnut and glass stand, and an open box of DVDs, lay directly beneath them.

"Your pick," he said, motioning toward the television and the movies piled high. "I'll even agree, to finding a chick flick on TV...anything to make you feel comfortable tonight."

I'm going to be anything but comfortable.

All of my senses were heightened around him.

His lips looked yummy enough to eat.

His hair was begging for my fingers, to glide through it.

But I needed to remember, that this was probably a friendship thing. Maybe we could be buddies.

"I'm not a chick flick kind of gal." He smirked.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

His box of DVDs was an eclectic mix of blockbusters and independent films, a few comedies, and even a couple of romances.

I pulled out the Lord of the Rings boxed set.

"Now this I can do."

"Seriously?" His eyes lit up at my revelation.

"Absolutely," I said.

"Which is your favorite?" His question came out, as sort of a test, like he didn't believe I could be into Tolkien and fantasy.

"The Two Towers." His green eyes sparkled, like they contained flecks of light.

"Mine, too," he declared.

"Let's do it then," I said.

Just as I said those words, Sam's eyes became dark and hooded, causing my breathing to escalate. And I groaned internally.

However, we settled in on the couch, with some distance between us.

My phone vibrated with a text message and it occurred to me, that I had left Brody hanging downstairs.

Shit.

Brody: I guess this means no, about tonight? I quickly typed back.

Me: Sorry, a friend stopped over, catch up with you later. Sam looked at me curiously.

"Boyfriend?"

"No. I told you I don't do boyfriends." His eyes were a bit guarded.

"Someone who hopes to be your boyfriend?" I figured I'd go for honesty.

"Nah, we're more like friends with benefits."

The look of shock on his face, was evident, before it crossed over to something else, that looked a little like jealousy. Or maybe, it was just curiosity.

"C'mon, you can't tell me you haven't had your share of those kinds of nights," I threw at him. He cleared his throat, while I waited for him to say something.

Anything.

But he didn't.

"You're a hot guy, Sam." I tossed up my hands. "I'm sure, plenty of girls throw themselves at you." His face quirked into a lopsided grin.

"You think I'm hot?"

"You're avoiding the question."

"The answer to your question is no, I haven't."

I had to pick my jaw up off the ground.

I had expected him to say something like, 'Sure, but that was in the past. Now I want a commitment,' or something.

"Don't get me wrong," he said in a low voice. "I've made out with my share of girls. I'm only human. And sure, girls have come on to me..."

I cringed inwardly.

Is that how he saw me?

I'd never thrown myself at anyone before...never had to. Guys came on to me.

Except for that one time at that party, when I saw Sam for the first time.

I needed to change the subject, pronto.

Noticing he had unpacked some pictures and placed a couple on his desk, in the corner of the room, I stood up and made my way over.

"Is this your mom and sister? And is this your brother?"

His mom was a pretty lady with blonde hair cut to her shoulders. And she was next to a very striking teen girl, who was bound to have guys falling all over her as well.

And a boy...about the same age as her.

"Yeah," he said. "The twins...those two, are twelve years old."

"Wow, you've lived around a fair amount of estrogen your whole life." I looked back at him. "Where's the testosterone?"

"Nonexistent."

Anger flashed hot as an iron and his features turned into a scowl.

"Let's just say, I've been the only decent male, role model in their lives."

That might explain a lot.

I noticed they all looked a little different from one another.

Did their father leave or die, or did they come from different men, like my brother and I?

I'd save those questions for another day.

"So, do they live around here?"

"About twenty minutes south, in West View. I see them every week for Sunday dinner. I lived at home, until about a year ago, when my mother met her current husband."

I saw his jaw tick.

"Then, it was time for me to go."

"Oh, I know that feeling too well," I said, not offering any more information.

I'd checked out of my house, when I was sixteen and slept at Marley's most of the time. And then, checked out emotionally after that.

"Did you have a beef with your new stepdad?"

"Not really. It's just...I helped Mom pay the bills and raise my siblings, for as long as I could, but now, he can be responsible for all of that. As long as he sticks around."

There was quite a story there, I could tell, but I didn't want to push the topic.

Maybe, he was one of these super responsible kids, who could never let loose.

"Sounds like our moms could have been BFF's in another life." He turned his head sideways, studying me, wondering about me.

"Where does your family live?"

"About an hour from here. I don't visit very often, but I talk to my brother, Adrian, almost every single day. He's a senior in high school, and I try to keep tabs on him. He's a good kid, though."

"What about your mother?"

I grew silent. He had shared stuff with me, so I really wasn't being fair.

"You don't have to tell me anymore, if you don't want to." I shrugged.

"What can I say...she's my mother. The biggest pain in my ass." 'And the biggest betrayer in my life.' "So I keep my distance."

"Your dad?"

"Let's not even go there."

There, was nowhere to go, anyway.

I wasn't sure if, my mom even knew who he was. Or his name. Either way, she'd never talked about him.

"Another time, then," he said. I noticed that he had shifted closer to me and our shoulders were almost touching. "Want a beer while we watch the movie?"

"Sounds perfect."

He opened two beers and joined me on the couch.

The opening credits rolled and he scooted over close enough, that our knees were almost touching.

I sipped and watched the screen, not even registering what was happening in the movie.

Thankfully, I'd seen it half a dozen times already, in case he wanted to make small talk.

I was cognizant of his every move.

Like a current humming through the air.

Every swallow of his beer, every time his arm came down with the bottle and brushed alongside mine.

Even when he reached over, to turn up the volume on the remote, and his thigh rubbed against my shorts.

I was like some lovesick teen, desperate to have my crush finally notice me.

As the movie played on, I finished my beer and became increasingly drowsy.

During the big battle scene, my head slumped toward his shoulder, in the twilight of sleep.

His arm slinked behind my neck, as he nudged me closer.

When his fingers made small circular motions up and down my arm, my heart pumped, an inordinate amount of blood through my veins.

I wasn't sure if he realized the impact his touch had on me.

I became intensely aroused, but pretended that I was still nearing slumber.

If his fingers inched anywhere southward, he'd be fondling my chest.

My breast practically stretched toward his hand...begging for his undivided attention.

I couldn't help wondering if my nearness was affecting him as well.

I'd caught him checking me out earlier, and he obviously wanted to spend time with me.

I didn't get the sense that his invitation, was out of obligation, or pity, though I might have been mistaken.

He'd mentioned a girl he was seeing, in one of our earlier talks, yet, he still asked me to sleep over tonight.

I sighed and snuggled into his chest, carefully placing my fingers against his thigh.

His leg muscle tensed and the hand on my shoulder paused.

His breaths were brisk and warm against my hair.

So he wasn't immune to me after all.

I didn't know what the hell I thought I was doing.

He specifically told me, he was a commitment kind of guy, and here I was, messing with him, trying to prove some kind of point.

What was wrong with me?

Did I need so badly to see, what he was made of?

But I was entertaining other thoughts as well.

Like maybe, Sam would eventually be opened, to the kind of arrangement Brody and I had.

Except that I was terrified, I could lose myself in a guy like Sam.

He'd be like a drug I couldn't get enough of.

And that was hazardous, to a girl intent on being in control...on being her own person...which didn't gel, with having any kind of relationship.

Sam didn't breathe a word, as my fingers raked softly against his thigh.

He sucked in a breath and brushed his hand up and down my back and against the nape of my neck.

The fire between my legs only intensified.

And although it was hard,I resisted the urge to squirm and moan into his chest.

I now I've said it before, but this guy is going to be the death of me.

Continue to safeguard yourselves and your loved ones. In the meantime, stay safe and stay blessed.